The present invention relates to gaming systems, and more particularly relates to tracking of a player's gaming activity during a virtual session at a gaming machine.
Player tracking is well known in the art in which gaming activity of the individual player is tracked at each gaming machine and communicated to a central computer which calculates player points in the player's account. The central computer identifies the account to accumulate points and other statistics (bills inserted, coin-in, coin-out, etc.) based upon the player's identity which is typically provided by the player inserting his or her player card into the gaming machine.
As understood, player points and statistics are not accrued for a game player who does not have his or her player card inserted into the gaming machine. For example, a player may insert coins into the gaming machine prior to inserting his or her player card. Such pre-card coins would not be credited to the player. Also, the player may remove his or her player card from the machine prior to the completion of the present game in play. Also, the player may remove his or her player card with credits remaining on the credit meter prior to cash-out. In such cases, player tracking points may not be accounted correctly to the particular player.
Player tracking points programs allow a player to earn “comps” (complimentaries) as for example a hotel room upgrade, a free room, buffet, dinners, shows, etc. In some cases, points may be converted to game credits for additional game play.
Without proper tracking, players lose points they might normally receive or gain more points than they might normally receive. In addition, casinos use player tracking information as valuable marketing information. Such marketing information may be misleading or lost to the casino if players cannot be properly tracked.
Player tracking points refers to a numerical quantity which is obtained based on participation in an activity at a gaming establishment. Such gaming activities including playing gaming machines, table games, betting on events, and other activities which may result in player tracking points.
With respect to gaming machine activity for accumulating player tracking points, a tracking session typically begins when the player inserts his or her card into the card reader of the particular gaming machine. Card insertion is automatically detected by the gaming machine and the player's identity becomes known. The player's account may be credited with points based on activity that occurred at the gaming machine while the player's card remained inserted into the gaming machine. The end of the player tracking session occurs when the player card is removed from the card reader of the game.
Some prior devices continued to track gaming activity for a short period of time, typically 1-20 seconds, after player card removal. Also, as understood, a small delay will occur after card-out if data is not sent until specific accounting meter data is received after the player card has been removed from the gaming machine.